The International Desalination Assn. (IDA) announced the launch of a mentorship program aimed at helping the next generation of leaders advance their knowledge and careers.
The IDA Mentorship Program pairs an established industry leader within IDA with a member of IDA’s Young Leaders Program (YLP). For the emerging professional, the program offers an opportunity to draw upon the technical and business knowledge and experience of his or her mentor. In turn, it presents the mentor with an opportunity to foster the next generation of leaders while further strengthening the desalination and water reuse industry by passing along their knowledge.
The program is structured to create a close working relationship between the mentor and mentee. Each mentor will be assigned to no more than two young professionals, and they will contribute up to three hours a month of time, sharing their knowledge, advice and guidance. Mentees and mentors are asked to commit to the program for a period of one year.
The first set of mentors comprises three individuals: Leon Awerbuch, IDA director and dean of the IDA Desalination Academy and president/CTO of Leading Edge Technologies Ltd.; Lisa Henthorne, IDA past president and senior technology officer of Water Standard; and Prof. Harvey Winters, Fairleigh-Dickinson University, faculty member of the IDA Desalination Academy and past IDA director.
“IDA is known around the world for the exceptional depth of knowledge and experience represented by its members and the willingness of these leaders in desalination and water reuse to share their perspectives. As the point of connection between people, knowledge and ideas in the global desalination and water reuse community, IDA views this program as a natural extension of the value that we offer,” said Patricia A, Burke, IDA secretary general.
IDA’s goal is to create a network of mentors from all regions of the world, with fluency in a variety of languages. Interested parties are invited to contact Burke at [email protected]. IDA is working closely with the YLP Committee to manage and implement the program. While it is being aimed initially at YLP members, the mentorship program may be broadened in scope at a future date.
Source: International Desalination Assn.
